Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 209 - The Grand Gathering of Interracial Harmony – Finale (5)

Chapter 209 – The Grand Gathering of Interracial Harmony – Finale (5)

 

Forbidden love.

Affection expressed in ways forbidden by law or morality became all the more alluring precisely because the world refused to accept it.

Love that arrived without warning stirred instinctive desire, making it nearly impossible for even the strongest-willed person to resist.

…That had been the excuse Chief Choi gave with complete confidence to his wife, who had stormed into his workplace in a fury after catching him having an affair.

“Father….”

Although Chief Choi had immediately been beaten black and blue, the sophistry he had spouted possessed astonishing destructive power.

“Please… hold me….”

I hugged Father even tighter.

This place was now the stage prepared by Okail.

My name was Serapiena. I was carrying my lover Mek’s child… yet in truth, I passionately loved the Invincible Jerix standing before me.

“…W-What exactly are you saying?”

Jerix finally managed to speak through his stammering.

His eyes were filled with unmistakable confusion.

His voice trembled, and so did his hands.

“…I truly cannot understand….”

He had fallen for it completely.

No… he wasn’t being deceived. Until the Confusing One’s stage disappeared, everything that occurred here was an event that had genuinely happened.

I’d already planted the seed before the tournament began.

Naturally, its germination and growth could only proceed as smoothly as flowing water.

“Please… simply accept it.”

I whispered in a Goblin voice far sweeter than any Goblin had a right to possess.

“From the very beginning… There has only ever been one person in my heart… You.”

“…What about Mek?”

“I’m sorry to Lord Mek… but he was merely a means… to get closer to You.”

“My goodness!”

Watching the destruction of an entire family unfold in real time from the front-row seats, Astrimia covered her mouth, her eyes widening.

The breathtakingly beautiful swordsman Pendrick also watched with great interest.

I glanced toward them. Only then did the two lovers quietly stand, carefully backing away so they wouldn’t interfere.

“…You’re doing something completely absurd.”

The Invincible Goblin slowly shook his head.

“…What about the child in your womb?”

“It’s alright.”

Wrapping both arms around Jerix’s neck, I looked up at him with a sweet smile.

“Lord Mek doesn’t know yet. That I’m pregnant.”

“…Gasp!”

“Waaah!”

Brightfeather, already eliminated, gasped loudly as he watched.

Astrimia, still searching for an opportunity to remove Jerix’s bracelet from a distance, stared with her mouth hanging open in utter shock.

They reacted exactly like devoted viewers of some melodramatic soap opera.

Naturally, I felt obligated to meet their expectations. So I mercilessly whipped the playwright inside my head, creating a scenario utterly devoid of artistic merit, existing solely to maximize sensationalism.

“Father.”

Bringing my face closer, I slowly whispered the words that would shake the Chieftain’s moral convictions like a candle trembling in the wind.

“There is… one way… to make this child… Your child instead.”

Half-Elf Survival Techniques. Ultimate Secret Art… One-Night Verdict.

I’d only just thought up the name, but despite appearances, it was a traditional technique passed down since ancient times. Even a Level 10 powerhouse wouldn’t escape it so easily.

“…Are you serious?”

Upon Okail’s stage, the Cultist of Catastrophic Upheaval gained a staggering +5 Charm, affecting the success rate of every deception, temptation, fraud, and similar act.

My current Charm: 29.

An overwhelming figure, reaching the absolute limits of intelligent life, even within the transcendent realm.

“What would you do… if I were serious?”

“……”

I giggled. Jerix’s brow furrowed. It wasn’t a simple rejection.

Rather, it was the self-loathing expression shared by every victim caught in the traditional survival techniques of Half-Elves.

“Ohoho….”

Distracting him with an enchanting smile, I simultaneously attempted to remove his bracelet using the telekinesis of Hand That Grips the World. 

It failed.

 

[Jerix’s skin is surrounded by multiple overlapping protective Mysteries. Telekinesis and virtually every other type of Mystery appear ineffective. You’ll need a direct method of attack!]

 

So, I’d have to remove it by hand.

If I acted recklessly and failed, the precious opportunity I’d created through a self-sacrifice ritual would vanish.

I had to remain patient. Now wasn’t the time.

— Please wait.

Sending telepathy to Pendrick, who still hadn’t been eliminated, I spoke again.

“I still haven’t heard your answer.”

“This is all too sudden. Once this tournament is over….”

“Hmmm… So if you had enough time… Had you considered it? If you truly had no feelings for me… wouldn’t you have rejected me immediately?”

Not quite a secret technique of Half-Elf Survival Techniques. More of a clever little trick.

Seduce first, then shift the responsibility onto the other person.

In reality, it would’ve been despicable gaslighting.

But right now, I was acting for the future of Pletica and the world.

Didn’t that make it benevolent psychological manipulation?

“……”

Jerix grabbed his head, pressing both temples.

The bracelet lay temptingly before me. But I still couldn’t reach for it.

The instant I tried to force it off, Jerix would instantly understand the situation and send me flying.

‘What now….’

Naturally, I hadn’t come here with any detailed strategy.

Could a Cultist of Catastrophic Upheaval really plan out the future so carefully?

I needed something that could completely divert the attention of a Level 10 powerhouse.

— Captain.

At that moment, Pendrick sent a telepathic message, taking his stance alongside Astrimia… From Jerix’s blind spot.

— …Very well. Just cut through me as well.

I still hadn’t thought of a guaranteed path to victory. But it didn’t matter.

A cultist serving the Confusing One ought to pursue change without purpose.

I had absolutely no logical basis. It simply felt right. 

Therefore, I abandoned all concrete tactics and acted.

“Father. No… Jerix.”

Resting my cheek upon his shoulder, I whispered lazily into his ear.

“How much longer are you going to make me wait? I can’t endure it anymore.”

Fwoosh.

The gentle breath I blew into his ear made Jerix’s face contort.

At that very instant…

— Here we go!

Pendrick and Astrimia charged simultaneously, swinging their swords.

The First Wind of Raging Gale Swordsmanship… Whirlwind.

And beside it, a sword of starlight, compressed from an enormous quantity of aura.

“…Far too clumsy.”

Jerix murmured softly, roughly swinging one arm.

CRUNCH!

A gigantic fist materialized in midair, slamming directly into the beautiful swordsman’s face and knocking him flat.

But because my body blocked his vision… and because of Grand Chaos Disturbance Field… he failed to stop Astrimia.

“H-Hyaaa!”

Almost certainly swinging a sword for the first time in her life, the sword herself slashed downward with her starlight aura blade, cutting through both my arm and Jerix’s arm, which remained wrapped around me.

Slice.

The adorable Goblin arm was severed effortlessly.

It was mine… My right arm. 

Jerix’s arm, meanwhile, didn’t even receive a scratch.

“Begone.”

The Invincible Goblin glared upward. Astrimia’s face immediately collided with the ground.

Her attack from behind had disrupted Jerix’s stance… very slightly.

But for a Level 10 powerhouse, it wasn’t truly an opening.

“…We’ll continue this conversation later.”

Jerix glared toward Pendrick, raising one hand. Directly toward the genius swordsman.

“There are more important things to do.”

Just as the Invincible Goblin prepared to vent his ancient hatred upon an innocent Human…

“……!”

Suddenly, Jerix whipped his head around.

Whoooosh!

From a direction where only the clear blue sky had existed moments earlier, an arrow wrapped in an enormous quantity of green energy came hurtling toward us.

Soul of Great Nature. A Ranger martial Mystery whose power surpassed the user’s own level, the longer they accumulated natural essence… its unique Mystery resource.

The arrow was aimed at me.

Thunk!

Because Narrow Shortcut couldn’t be activated while physically attached to another person, Jerix instinctively raised his arm to block it… for my sake.

“…Hah.”

He blocked the arrow without difficulty.

Yet the Chieftain’s expression froze. His face gradually flushed red.

Naturally. The object of Shaman Jerix’s faith was the Goblin race itself.

He cherished his fellow Goblins deeply. Yet everyone kept trying to attack me as well.

“Wonderbeak! Are you attacking a child who isn’t even a participant?!”

The Goblin Chieftain shouted toward the distant Birdman Hunter, far beyond sight.

It was a fatal mistake, brought about because I’d completely scrambled his thoughts.

Thud.

“…Guh!”

Suddenly, my body staggered. Then I collapsed pitifully to the ground.

Somehow, an arrow had pierced straight through my back, its tip protruding proudly from my chest.

The first arrow had been a feint.

This second, carefully concealed arrow had been Wonderbeak’s true objective.

The moderate Association member supporting me from afar.

“Are you alright?!”

Startled, Jerix hurriedly crouched, grabbing the arrow impaling my body.

Not with his right arm, which had blocked Soul of Great Nature… but with his left, the one wearing the bracelet.

“…Jerix.”

As a dying Goblin, my heart pierced, I made one final sorrowful plea.

“My child…. My… child….”

Rumble…

“Be careful.”

Snap.

A tiny golden wolf pup suddenly burst from my abdomen, snatching Jerix’s bracelet away.

“Kyaaaang!”

Landing proudly upon the ground, Perrin raised his head with dignity.

“…A golden wolf?”

Jerix stared blankly at my face.

I mischievously stuck out my tongue, returning to my original appearance.

Then I spread both hands wide.

“Ta-da! I have good news… and even better news. The good news… is that Serapiena’s true identity… was the adorable Half-Elf Karr!”

“……”

Instead of the Goblin Chieftain, who had frozen in place like a statue, Astrimia raised her hand.

“Umm? Then what’s the even better news?”

“The tangled love… and inevitable tragedy… of the Invincible Tribe… never actually happened in reality!”

“Yaaay! That’s a relief!”

“Right?”

I gathered my companions together, and we all spent a while happily hopping up and down.

Jerix merely watched us silently.

Eventually, he gave a helpless laugh, slowly sitting down.

“…It seems… I’ve truly become too old.”

The Invincible Goblin wasn’t invincible mentally.

His body had transcended. But his heart remained no different from any other Goblin’s.

“How frustrating. If this had been the old me… I would’ve stopped something like this immediately.”

“That’s true.”

If this had been Jerix in his normal state, the moment Perrin appeared, he would’ve swatted him away effortlessly…. Then leisurely enjoyed a cup of tea… Then seen straight through my deception… And finally blasted me apart with terrifying Mysteries.

Great Shaman Neuamshi’s Grand Chaos Disturbance Field,  The Confusing One’s stage, and my own completely improvised actions, born without any concrete plan.

It was, in every sense, a victory achieved through chaos.

“If You’re angry about my deception… I’ll strip naked this instant… lie face-down… and beg Your forgiveness. You may press my head into the ground… while insulting and cursing me. I’ll gladly accept it.”

“…No need.”

“Aww… Why not?”

“More importantly… I have one question.”

Sitting beside me, the Chieftain asked weakly,

“…Just to make sure…. You’re not… actually in a relationship with Mek… are you?”

“Gasp.”

Feigning surprise, I looked toward the sky.

“For the sake of keeping Sir Jerix’s retirement entertaining… I’ll leave that as a secret.”

“…Hah.” 

“Thank You.”

Bowing deeply, with complete sincerity, I stood.

Fwoooosh!

At that exact moment, brilliant light burst forth from the World Tree’s branches.

[The teleportation circle has activated!]

It seemed Marlin had safely escorted His Majesty and activated the magic circle.

I placed a hand upon Pendrick’s shoulder… the only companion still not eliminated.

“Let’s go. Our exploration… isn’t over yet.”

“But… the tournament’s basically over now, isn’t it?”

“It is. By the way, Lord Pendrick, have you prepared a signature yet?”

“Uh… No.”

“Then… You’d better start thinking of an impressive one.”

Holding Perrin, whose tail wagged happily, I proudly declared, 

“We’ve become… an incredibly amazing… powerful… adorable… and magnificent expedition.”

The Grand Gathering of Interracial Harmony.

The Moonlight Expedition… confirmed champions.